


A Long Way Here (And A Long Way to Go)

by RunawayBean



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Boys Kissing, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Galo Thymos Being an Idiot, Getting Together, Lio Fotia Needs a Hug, M/M, POV Lio Fotia, Panic Attacks, Post-Canon, Vignettes, coffee dates, it's just soft okay?, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:21:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24076651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RunawayBean/pseuds/RunawayBean
Summary: Lio rested his head back against the back of the deck chair-hisdeck chair- as the faint, fresh, spring breeze caressed his face. The breeze played with his hair, tickling the back of his neck and his cheeks and making his ears feel a bit too cold every now and again, and he just smiled through it. It was an easy smile, one that he wasn’t really fully aware of, and it had so many emotions behind it (and yet none at all) that Lio could never hope to decipher them.The air smelled of cherry blossoms, tomorrow’s rainfall, and something else that Lio had never been able to place. Something that smelled like peace and quiet, something distinctly familiar. It’s nice, it really is, and it doesn’t smell like the desert or a burned building or like frost and ice. It’snice.
Relationships: Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos
Comments: 15
Kudos: 110





	A Long Way Here (And A Long Way to Go)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NewPrussia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NewPrussia/gifts).



> Hello, hello!
> 
> I've descended into Promare hell after watching it three times in a row. Gods help me. The only person to be blamed for this is [NewPrussia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/New_Prussia) because they're the one who got me into this damn fandom in the first place.
> 
> All the sickeningly sweet fluff you're about to read is their fault.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> ~Nero/Cy

Lio rested his head back against the back of the deck chair- _his_ deck chair- as the faint, fresh, spring breeze caressed his face. The breeze played with his hair, tickling the back of his neck and his cheeks and making his ears feel a bit too cold every now and again, and he just smiled through it. It was an easy smile, one that he wasn’t really fully aware of, and it had so many emotions behind it (and yet none at all) that Lio could never hope to decipher them.

The air smelled of cherry blossoms, tomorrow’s rainfall, and something else that Lio had never been able to place. Something that smelled like peace and quiet, something distinctly familiar. It’s nice, it really is, and it doesn’t smell like the desert or a burned building or like frost and ice. It’s _nice._

It had been several months since everything finished going to shit and the promare had been sent back. Kray’s trial had come and gone, the city was rising again, fires were about ninety percent less common, the Burnish were being relocated into homes and given jobs, equality was slowly becoming something that could be in reach. Lio was on the burning rescue team, helping where he could and helping his people when he couldn’t, and among all the chaos he’d come to terms with something.

It hadn’t exactly been a traditional realization when he really did realize that he might just be in love with Galo, and it had ended with him sobbing viciously into Galo’s shoulder in a hospital room, but he’d realized all the same. Galo hadn’t said anything at the time, Lio hadn’t given him anything to reply to, and had simply pressed his lips to Lio’s temple as he cried. Lio didn’t doubt he’d been immensely confused, but he was so grateful Galo didn’t ask.

Galo wasn’t as dumb as people thought him to be, Lio knew this well by now. He may not be the smartest when it came to book-smarts, but he was perceptive to the point that it was almost scary. He could tell Lio was hungry or tired even before Lio fully processed it, and yes, Lio wasn’t exactly the best at taking care of himself in those senses, but it was still…

‘Unsettling’ isn’t the right word, that implies that it was a bad thing. Lio didn’t have the words, probably never will, and he’s more than okay with that.

“Hey,” Galo’s voice is soft, softer than the breeze, and his hand on Lio’s cheek is kind and warm and familiar. “You’re thinking a lot, aren’t ya?”

“And what of it?” Lio looked down at him, leaning his cheek just a little more firmly into the rough skin of Galo’s hand. 

“I can almost hear the cogs in your head turning.” Galo’s eyes sparkled with a bright humour that Lio was more than familiar with by now. “Squeak squeak.”

Lio huffed, fighting the twist in his chest at Galo’s smile. “Shut up.”

“I’m good.” Galo shakes his head and Lio loved him so much it hurt.

But instead of saying anything, Lio just reached out and plucked one of Galo’s hands up from where it had been resting on his abs, and he laced their fingers together. The two of them fit so well like this, and whenever Lio held his hand he felt like he’d never let go again. One day, he might actually never let go. Not that Lio would be at all opposed…

“You really are good.” Lio agreed, “The best.”

“N’awwwww.” Galo grinned and scrunched his nose up in a way that reminded Lio of a bunny. “Talking about yourself again?”

Lio felt his cheeks heat up and he huffed, looking up and away from Galo, fixing his vision on a point on the horizon. “I take it back. You’re terrible.”

Galo laughed, then, and Lio felt it warm him right to his core. It was stupid, so bloody stupid that someone like _Galo Thymos_ was the one to be keeping him, the ex-leader of the Mad Burnish, warm. But again, Lio wasn’t at all opposed to the idea. He doubted he ever would be.

—

_Lio was shivering and it hurt._

_After spewing any number of curses under his breath, burrowing into the jacket he’d bought for himself before the winter had started, and risking burning the palms of his hands on the hottest paper cup of tea he’d been able to buy, he was still no warmer. His hands felt like blocks of ice, he couldn’t feel most of his toes, and his nose was probably running but he could neither feel it nor care. It was stupid. It was so_ stupid and Lio hated it.

_He’d spent so long with the promare inside him, keeping him warm when any normal human would have frozen, Lio wasn’t used to feeling even remotely chilly. Winters in Promepolis were not kind beasts, though, and they seemed to feel no remorse for threatening to send Lio to the hospital with frostbite._

_At this point, Lio was shivering so hard he could feel his teeth chattering. It was so loud he felt it right in the back of his skull, and he squeezed his eyes shut in a desperate and unsuccessful way to conserve at least a little more body heat. What he wouldn’t give to have had a slightly slower metabolism right then, what he wouldn’t give to curl up next to- or, hell,_ in _a space heater. Really, he couldn’t think of anything that sounded more heavenly._

_“Hey.” It was Galo, his voice coloured with concern. “You okay there, Lio?”_

_“Peachy.” Lio growled, shivering harder. “Fucking peachy.”_

_Galo made a noise that sounded like he definitely didn’t believe Lio. “You sure? You look a bit like… like a uh…”_

_Lio didn’t have the energy to interrupt._

_“Aha! Like a Lio-sicle!” Galo sounded entirely too pleased with himself for coming up with that. “Wanna warm up?”_

_“And how would you suggest I do that?” Lio demanded, “Because I would_ love _to hear it.”_

_Galo didn’t say a word and Lio almost snapped at him, but then he felt a weight being draped over his shoulders and back. Warmth started to seep into his ribs and his upper arms, and Lio exhaled slowly, breath a cloud of fog from his lips. It hurt, it really did, but it also felt really good._

_It took Lio to the count of sixty four to recover enough to be able to speak clearly. “What did you-”_

_“Gave you my jacket!”_

_“Galo, you’re an idiot.” Lio muttered, pulling Galo’s jacket tighter around himself. “You’re going to freeze.”_

_He could practically hear Galo’s grin in his voice. “Nah, I’ll be fine! I’ve got my bruning firefighter’s soul to keep me warm!”_

_Lio grimaced, the cold making him more irritable. “That’s not how that works.”_

_“Sure it’s not. Anyway, I gotta finish this up!” And just like that, Galo ran off, waving to Lio over his shoulder. To Lio’s absolute amazement and complete bafflement, he was wearing nothing but a long sleeved shirt._

_It took everything in Lio to not take off Galo’s jacket, chase him down, and then shove it over his head. Thankfully, Lio both had a bit of common sense, and a fairly strong desire to not freeze his dick off, so he didn’t do any of that. He instead stood rooted in place, choosing to stare at Galo with eyes as wide as dinner plates and enough jealousy to curdle milk. What he wouldn’t give to have- well, no, he didn’t want a ‘burning firefighter soul,’ but he did want to produce enough body heat. That would be nice._

_“Don’t worry too much about him.” Aina popped up at his elbow, “That shirt’s thermal.”_

_“He’s insane.” Lio muttered, still staring._

_Aina snorted a laugh next to him. “Yeah, he kinda is, isn’t he? Unfortunately, you have to be more than a little crazy to go into our field.”_

_Lio turned to look at her and, thankfully, she was more adequately dressed for the weather with a turtleneck under a crewneck sweater, all tied in a bow with a winter jacket overtop. The fur lining the hood of the jacket rippled softly in the wind, and Lio decided he liked it. Maybe he could convince her to take him shopping so he could get one of his own…_

_“Out of all of us,” Aina was still smiling softly, “I think Galo is the one you should worry about the least in this weather.”_

_Lio blinked and made a small noise of not understanding._

_Aina quickly explained, “He gives off body heat like a damn water heater. It’s ridiculous. Lucia will often demand piggy backs in the colder months just to leech it off of him.”_

_Ah. Lio blinked at her once before turning his head to look at Galo again. The Number One Firefighting Idiot was lifting the remains of a car as easily as if he were just splashing somebody with water, chatting away with Varys (who was lifting several cars). Lio frowned just a little as he watched, more pensive than anything else._

_“He’s an idiot.” The way Lio said it sounded more than a little fond. “What do you think I’d have to pay him to get him to hug me?”_

_“Not much, probably.” Aina’s eyes shone, “But you’re gonna have to beat me to it.”_

_“Rude.” Lio gave her a little glare that was about as intimidating and honest as a hologram purple butterfly._

_Aina gave him a little shove, and Lio felt something warm burst to life in his chest. So he gave her a little shove back and, before either of them knew it, they were having a minor shove war right there in the middle of the street._

_Friends were a luxury that Lio hadn’t had much of over the years, aside from his ex-generals. He supposed that Aina would be a fairly good place to start and she seemed to think the same way._

_“Aina! Lio!” Remi yelled from the other end of the street, “Quit rough-housing and come help!”_

_Aina huffed, gave Lio one more little affectionate shove, before calling a ‘roger!’ and jogging off. Lio let himself smile for just a moment before he cleared his face and jogged after her._

_He was still freezing and wouldn’t be surprised if he lost a few toes, but at least he wasn’t going to lose a whole leg._

—

“-all I’m saying is that Matoi tech could be something that could help a whole bunch of people!”

They’d had this exact same discussion multiple times by now. Lio thought Matoi tech was cool, he agreed with Galo that it could do the world some good, but he also enjoyed seeing Galo get excited about something far too much to interrupt and convince him he agreed. 

When Galo got excited, his eyes lit up and his eyebrows scrunched together cutely and he talked a mile a minute, hands waving around in his excitement. Every time it happened, Lio could almost see the spark in his eyes, and it always brought a wave of pure fondness crashing into the shores of Lio’s chest. It was adorable and it was one of the things Lio adored about Galo. One of many, of course, but it was still definitely one of them.

“Think about how many lives we could save if we used more Matoi!” Lio couldn’t count how many times Galo had said this line in particular. “We could help so many people! People could help other people all over the _world!”_

Lio brushed his thumb over Galo’s lower lip, just admiring him for a moment. This, though, seemed to bring Galo back to reality and the blush that flooded into his cheeks was illegally adorable. How had Galo not been arrested for being too charming? Honestly, it was beyond Lio at this point.

“Something up, firebug?” Galo asked, one hand coming up to rest on Lio’s head.

“No.” Lio shook his head a little, letting Galo mess up his hair. “Just admiring you.”

Galo’s cheeks heated up more and he brought both his hands up and covered his face. His voice was a little squeaky when he said, “What is there to admire?!”

“Do you _want_ me to bring out the list?”

“NO.” Galo blurted immediately. “DON’T YOU DARE.”

Lio chuckled softly and rolled his eyes, looking back up at the horizon once more (and consequently letting Galo recover from his flustered state). There was a building on the edge of town that wasn’t completely demolished or fixed, standing somewhere in limbo between the two, and it gave off strange reflections because of the odd angles of the glass. Lio had been staring at it for a while, and he wondered when the fixing and cleaning teams would get to it.

Maybe he should bring it up next time he and Galo went to work.

“Firebug.”

“Hm?”

Galo pursed his lips a little when Lio turned to look down at him again and, for a moment, everything was still. Then Lio felt Galo’s hand comb through his hair softly. With a little hum, Lio leaned into it just the tiniest bit as he let Galo collect his thoughts.

Finally, Galo said, “Your hair’s getting long.”

“Should probably get it cut.” Lio agreed, “Or else it’ll just be in the way.”

“I think it looks great!” Galo beamed up at him, impossibly genuine. “You with long hair would look great too! Not that you don’t already look great, you look great all the time but-”

“Thank you, Galo.” Lio fought with his cheeks to stay not-crimson. 

“So you’re not gonna grow it out?” Lio knew Galo wasn’t trying to, but he was pouting.

“Probably not.” Lio shook his head before falling still when Galo combed his fingers through his hair again. “It’s tedious and thick and there’s too much to keep track of.”

Galo hummed and pulled a section of Lio’s hair separate from the rest. Then he started to braid it. His braid was a little lopsided and clumsy, but Lio spotted a determined sparkle in his eye that he often had on missions. It was adorable to Lio that Galo could put the same focus into a simple, mundane task as he did into saving lives. 

“Maybe I should get a haircut too.” Galo said as he kept braiding. “My spikes’re getting long again.”

“I think it looks nice.” Lio said.

“We’re going in ciiiiircles!” Galo snorted, “I at least need to get my undercut and sides shaved again. Maybe we could go together at the same time! Save some time, y’know?”

“Sounds good to me.” Lio nodded a little, not enough to dislodge his half-braided hair from Galo’s fingers. 

Galo beamed, but the effect was a little lost as his eyes were still locked on the braid between his fingers. As the silence stretched on, Lio watched as a crinkle appeared between his eyebrows and the tip of Galo’s tongue poked out from his lips. Lio bit the inside of his cheek to keep from saying something or snorting or something equally as damning, and he just resigned himself to watching.

When Galo finished the braid, he blinked at it once or twice before turning a helpless and slightly guilty smile on Lio. “I uh. I don’t have anything to tie it with.”

“Let it go. It’ll stay for a bit. Then you can do it again later if you want.” Lio rolled his eyes fondly.

“Really? You’d let me?!” Galo sounded entirely too surprised.

“Course I would. Why wouldn’t I?” Lio asked.

“Uh.” Galo blinked. Then he beamed and let the braid go. “Nevermind.”

Lio would forever be grateful he realized he liked Galo.

—

_“Boss,” Gueira put his mug down on the table. When Lio turned to look at him, he was no longer staring at that random head of bright acid purple hair across the room. No, Gueira was staring at Lio instead._

_“What?” Lio tilted his head to the side just so, and he could feel the way his eyebrows furrowed together. Concern sparked like a match in his blood. Was something wrong?_

_Gueira hesitated for a moment, seemingly picking and choosing his words. When he finally spoke, he said, “You don’t realize, do you.”_

_Lio was about to reply when Meis groaned and muttered, “Really? You’re breaching the topic to him like_ that, _Gueira?”_

_This only made the concern in Lio’s chest twist and grow into something a lot more fearful, something bitter and dark and angry and blazing. He felt the glare on his face far before it was fully formed and, when he spoke, his voice was clipped and low. “What? What happened?”_

_“Nothing that’ll warrant you freaking out like that.” Gueira said firmly, reaching across the table and jamming his thumb between Lio’s eyebrows. “So quit your worrying and let me talk.”_

_Lio huffed and crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair and waiting for whatever it was that Gueira was going to say next._

_“So…” An excellent start. “You realize you like Galo, right?”_

_Well that hadn’t been what Lio was expecting. He frowned a little and tilted his head to the side, confused. “Well, yeah, I know. He’s my friend. He saved my life, I should hope I like him.”_

_“Not like that, boss.” Gueira rolled his eyes._

_Meis piped up. “What he means, Lio, is that you like him. Like, you_ like _like him.”_

_“That’s not... I don’t…” Lio’s frown deepened for a moment._

_And then it dawned on him._

_“There we go.” Meis snickered, “He realized.”_

_“It’s about time.” Gueira snorted._

_“You both are terrible.” Lio leaned forward and buried his head in his arms ont he table. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”_

_“Because you’re_ supposed _to figure it out yourself, boss.” Meis poked his head a few times. “But congratulations, now you know. Want help confessing?”_

_“Wh-” Lio spluttered, “I’m not_ telling _him.”_

_Meis and Gueira both gave him an identical look of disappointment and exhaustion. They didn’t say a word, just stared at Lio for a too-long moment before turning to give each other a look._

_“It won’t be so bad, boss.” Meis assured him, “I mean, I got Gueira to agree to date my stupid ass, so I’m sure our advice wouldn’t be too terrible.”_

_“Yeah, but you two have been dancing around each other for years.” Lio muttered unhappily. “How do I even know if Galo likes me the way I like him?”_

_“Call me biased-”_

_“You’re biased.” Lio and Meis said immediately._

_Gueira huffed and stuck out his tongue at both of them. “Shut up. Anyway, call me biased if you want, but I don’t see why he_ wouldn’t _like you like that.”_

_“Talk to anyone on the Rescue squad.” Meis added, “Trust us.”_

_Lio groaned and muttered, “Fine. I’ll talk to them. But if you two are wrong, you’re buying me lunch for the next three weeks.”_

_“Deal.” They both said immediately._

_Lio wasn’t sure if that was a bad sign or a good one._

—

Galo’s stomach rumbled and Lio honestly didn’t have any hope of holding back his snort. Really, it was astounding how quickly Galo got hungry, and his body liked to let anyone within a ten mile radius know about it. It was as funny as anything Lio would have anticipated, but he valiantly tried to stifle his snort into one of his hands.

“Don’t laugh.” Galo drew out the last syllable for all it was worth. “You’re so mean!”

“Nope. Sorry.” Lio said, words muffled by his hand. “Hungry?”

“No.” Galo crossed his arms and averted his eyes.

Lio blinked.

Then, fighting back the stupidest grin known to man, he very slowly said, “Galo Thymos. Are you… are you _pouting?”_

“No!” Galo was definitely pouting, and the fact that he was now a little flushed in embarrassment made it all the more obvious. “You’re being mean.”

“Sorry.” Lio definitely didn’t sound sorry. “Wanna get something to eat? That new indie coffee shop opened up down the street.”

Galo looked up at him, just with his eyes though. “What was it called?”

“Hot & Steamy’s Coffee Bar.” Lio said.

Galo’s eyes shone and he blurted, “That’s the funniest and stupidest name for a coffee shop I’ve ever heard in my _life.”_

“Isn’t it?” Lio mused, “Could come off as misleading, too. _I’m going down to Hot & Steamy’s today, guys, want anything?_ That sounds awful.”

Galo laughed and it was more beautiful than the sunlight filtering through the clouds above. It was more beautiful than anything Lio had ever thought he’d experience, and now- now, after all the fuck-shittery that lead up to this point, now this was his _normal._ Lio was still coming to terms with it, really.

After a moment or two of too much staring, Galo stopped laughing and noticed that Lio hadn’t moved at all. Concern flooded his eyes and his eyebrows scrunched together and Lio’s heart lurched a little. 

Before Galo could even ask, Lio shook his head and murmured, “I’m okay. Just… just happy.”

Galo’s cheeks lit up with his blush and his entire face lit up with his smile. It was a look that Lio never wanted to stop seeing, and Lio once again vowed to himself to give Galo as many good things as he could, if only Galo would smile at him like that. His thoughts were only mildly interrupted when Galo moved to sit up and shifted to face him. Lio, taking his chances, reached out and pushed his hand into Galo’s hair.

Firmly yet gently (because he’s still scared to this day that Galo will change his mind about his feelings), Lio tugged Galo close and, after he’d sat up a bit taller and Galo’s leaned down a bit, he sealed their mouths together. The kiss was slow, timid almost though Lio would have never counted either of them as ‘timid,’ and it warmed Lio in a way that the promare could never have done. It was sweet, tasted a bit like Galo’s morning coffee, and Lio never wanted to let go.

So, being the rational thinker that he was, he broke the kiss only to kiss Galo again. He was selfish, certainly, but he never ever _ever_ wanted to stop kissing Galo once he’d started. 

Galo’s lips were chapped, soft as hell, and warm. It was stupid. So stupid.

When Lio pulled back this time, he barely moved a few inches away and pressed their foreheads together. He didn’t open his eyes right away, still trying to get the flutter in his heart to calm down enough for him to see straight, and he heard Galo laugh softly. It didn’t sound humorous, no, it sounded like an expression of joy and-

“I’m glad I can make you happy.” The words are out of Lio’s mouth before he can think, but once they’re out he doesn’t dare go back on them. He tilted his head and pressed his lips to the skin jue below Galo’s left eye. Then, slowly, he started mapping every inch of Galo’s face with the softest kisses he could manage.

Galo’s hands were warm when they touched Lio’s waist, and they flexed a little when Lio tilted his head back to fit his mouth to the place where his pulse disappeared beneath his jaw.

“I hope I make you happy too.” Galo’s voice was soft, but still filled with that ever-present determination.

Lio pressed his smile into Galo’s skin, hidden. “You do. Every day.”

“Good.” Galo sounded a wee bit choked. “Great, actually. Awesome.”

Lio snorted softly and pulled back to look at him, combing his hands through Galo’s wild hair to put it back to the ‘artfully messy’ state it had been in before. “Now. Coffee?”

“Coffee.” Galo agreed. “And food. I’m really hungry.”

“Aren’t you always?” Lio stood and stretched a little.

Galo swatted his ass a little before racing off into the apartment through the open balcony door, Lio hot on his heels.

—

_Lio blinked. “You… want to go for coffee?”_

_Galo’s face went about eight different shades of red and his voice was a little squeaky when he said, “Yeah! Yes, I- I want to take you for coffee!”_

_“But we go for coffee every morning?” Lio was clearly missing something here. He racked his brain, trying to figure out what Galo meant. They really did go for coffee every morning, as Lio was still crashing on Galo’s couch. Ruined infrastructure and his extensive work efforts meant he didn’t have much time to look for an apartment and he didn’t really have many apartments to actually_ look _at._

_“W-well!” Galo’s stuttering was as endearing as it was confusing. His hands were in his hair, a habit Lio had noticed was one that only came out on the rare chance he was nervous or stressed beyond reason. “I mean! I- you- coffee-”_

_With a soft sigh, Lio leaned his back against the table and crossed his arms, giving Galo as much time as he needed to figure out just what he wanted to say. He kept his expression carefully blank, so as to not make Galo think he was upset or something, and Galo gave him a guilty and sort of sheepish look as thanks. But, despite having the moments he needed, Galo continued to stutter._

_It was cute._

_And then it clicked._

_“Coffee date.” Lio said, something like a tiny smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. He reached out and squeezed Galo’s shoulder. “Tomorrow at eleven? We’ve got the day off.”_

_Galo’s eyes were wider than dinner plates and he clamped his mouth shut. Then, very slowly, he nodded. This was even cuter. Stupidly cute, if Lio thought about it._

_Lio squeezed his shoulder again before slipping around him to grab his muffin off the counter. With that, he headed back out into the hallway of the fire station and nearly crashed face first into Aina’s chest._

_“Jesus-” Lio nearly dropped his muffin and did a weird hop-step-jump thing to avoid falling and hurting Aina. Once they were both steady, Lio looked at her and said, “Aina, I’m so sorry. Are you alright?”_

_“Hm? Oh! Yeah.” Aina was stuttering a bit and she looked a bit like a deer in headlights. “I’m all good! Definitely nothing is wrong here!”_

_Lio then noticed that the entire team was gathered outside the coffee room door. He blinked at them all, confused. He didn’t even have time to open his mouth to ask them why the hell they were all there before Lucia leapt at him._

_“So.” Her eyes glinted. “You and Galo got a date?”_

_“What’s it to you?” Lio raised an eyebrow, but that was all the confirmation Lucia needed. She leapt into the air and pumped her fist, Vinny mirroring her from his perch on her shoulder. Lio blinked, confused at the display._

_“Pay UP, suckers!” Lucia shouted._

_To his utter bewilderment, the rest of the team all huffed and pulled various bills out of their pockets and handed them to an absolutely ecstatic Lucia. Aina gave Lio a slightly betrayed look that he could tell was only half a joke before she handed Lucia what looked like a fifty dollar bill. Varys produced two twenties, Remi pulled out a ten, and then-_

_“Hold on, Lucia.” Ignis was leaning his back against the wall, still too cool for literally everything ever. “You bet they’d get a date today. I bet they’d do it before noon.”_

_Lucia froze. Then every team member checked their watches._

_**11:52am.** _

_For a moment, everything was still._

_Then Lucia muttered a curse under her breath and handed the money to Ignis, who counted it pointedly before turning and walking away, presumably to his office (but not before he called a ‘congratulations, Lio’ over his shoulder). Lucia flipped him off behind his back, and Remi stifled a snicker, clapping one hand over his mouth._

_Lio was utterly stunned. “You… you all had a bet going?”_

_“Even a blind man could see that you two were head over heels for each other.” Aina laughed, putting Lio in an affectionate headlock. “Congrats. Don’t hurt him, treat him well, all that.”_

_“You sound surprisingly at ease with this.” Lio grunted a little and wriggled in her hold._

_“I’m not going to give you the full shovel talk, Lio, I trust you.” Aina rolled her eyes and let him go. “I gotta work on something, so I’ll see you later!”_

_And with that, Aina gave him a smile and a wave over her shoulder before jogging off toward the garage. Remi had already left with a mutter of something about his mech, Varys mentioned a snack and left, and Lio was left with Lucia. A rather decidedly miffed Lucia._

_“You two couldn’t’ve waited another eight minutes?” Lucia punched his shoulder lightly._

_“Sorry.” Lio wasn’t sorry. “What did Aina mean about the shovel talk?”_

_“Hurt the world’s number one firefighting idiot and she’ll grab a shovel to bury you with.” Lucia snickered before turning and walking off. “I say bone and the world’ll be a better place. Just don’t do it here!”_

_And when Galo gathered himself enough to leave the coffee room, he found Lio standing stock still in the doorway, face positively scarlet._

—

“Lio your hands are _freezing!”_

Lio couldn't help but roll his eyes a little at that. “Not my fault I didn’t have to produce any body heat for years on end only to have that stripped away. Adjusting isn’t exactly easy.”

Galo stuck out his bottom lip a little and scrunched up his nose at Lio, squeezing Lio’s hand tighter. “Put your other hand in your pocket or you’ll lose a finger.”

“Yes, yes.” Lio rolled his eyes again and dutifully stuck his free hand in his coat pocket. He was wearing the winter jacket Aina had insisted on buying him when winter set in, but now it was spring and there wasn’t quite as much of a reason to wear it. At least, if one wasn’t Lio Fotia, ex-Burnish. But, since Lio was himself, he was freezing all the time these days.

Thankfully, though, Galo gave off more than enough body heat for the two of them, and Lio liked to leech off of it any and all chances he got. These chances had started getting more and more frequent after they’d started dating and, as Lucia had wisely put it, Galo was more than happy to warm up his popsicle of a boyfriend. And anyone, for that matter.

At first, the easy camaraderie of the Burning Rescue team had baffled Lio. They touched each other so casually, hands on the shoulders and backs to pat you for doing a good job, a hand in your hair if you’ve done something a little charmingly stupid, knocking shoulders together at a joke, hugging you when you got back from a mission, and so much more. At first, Lio had been wildly overwhelmed and had actually had to ask them to back off a little (which they happily did, assuring him it was okay and that they were sorry). 

But now? He’d been on the Burning Rescue team for at least four months now, though it was probably more, and he may be still adjusting to just how _much_ friendly physical contact he was getting, but he appreciated it and was starting to do his best to return it. He was still ‘getting into the groove of things,’ as Varys put it one day when Lio had dropped his pizza in surprise at Aina leaning her head on his shoulder and just falling asleep, but he was certainly getting there.

Plus, he was determined to repay their kindness, and that made it just a little easier for him to push himself just a bit beyond his comfort zone each and every day.

“Hot & Steamy’s is just up ahead.” Lio said, nodding in the direction where he’d seen the coffee shop.

Galo snorted next to him and muttered, “Hot & Steamy’s. What were they _thinking?”_

“No idea.” Lio fought back a grin, “We should take the team there one day.”

“Oh my gods, yes.” Galo’s eyes shone, “And we’re definitely not saying it’s a coffee shop.”

“Definitely not.” Lio agreed.

And just like that, they arrived at the front door of Hot & Steamy’s Coffee Bar.

The place was packed with people of all sorts, and Lio had to expertly drag Galo through it all, using his smaller stature to wiggle his way into tighter spaces. Eventually, they got to the counter and, after Lio had ordered the sweetest drink on the menu and Galo had wrinkled his nose playfully at him before ordering his own drink, they walked over to the less crowded side of the room to find a table. It wasn’t a long wait by any means, and they were seated with their coffees in less than five minutes total.

Lio cupped his mug with both hands, leaning over so he could catch the steam with his face, and sighed softly. He didn’t even know what the drink itself was called, all he knew was that it had coffee, it had chocolate, it had milk, it had whipped cream, and it was hot. Honestly, that was all that mattered to Lio right then.

Galo, meanwhile, shrugged out of his coat and slung it over the back of his chair before sitting down. Lio’s eyes lingered for a few moments on the hard line of Galo’s shoulders under his slightly-too-tight shirt, and he distantly wondered whether Galo was going to take _off_ his shirt. Shirts never lasted long on this man and Lio was astonished he actually owned so many.

At the first sip of his drink, Lio’s eyes fluttered closed and he hummed, just a little blissed out. It was perfect, beyond perfect, and Lio was going to take his time with it.

“Good?” Galo had an eyebrow raised and that look on his face that told Lio he was viciously fighting back a laugh.

“Terrible.” Lio countered, before taking another sip. The drink was damn near hot enough to burn his tongue, but he was _cold,_ damnit.

“Don’t burn your tongue.” Galo chided him, “You’ll just lose taste buds.”

“A worthy sacrifice for this blessed drink.” Lio deadpanned. 

Galo snorted gracelessly and took a sip of his own drink.

The moments that followed were peaceful and everything Lio had never thought he would have. Being on the run from every authority ever meant that Lio hadn’t had time for domesticity or anything of the like, and he’d only dreamed of getting a full (and restful) night’s sleep. He’d always slept with one eye open, barely half unconscious to make sure he could be awake at a moment’s notice to protect his people.

Normal life, as Galo called it, was something of an enigma to him. Several months into it, it was still rather enigmatic, and Lio wasn’t sure if he’d ever truly understand it as a whole. But he was working on it, slowly but surely.

He still couldn’t cook to save his life. Galo was responsible for all the cooking.

(Not that Lio was complaining.)

“Lio?”

Lio blinked back to reality and looked across the table at Galo.

“You good?” Galo’s brow was ever so slightly creased with concern. “You looked real far away for a second there.”

“I’m good.” Lio nodded and, after contemplating his existence for a second, reached across the table and pulled Galo’s hand from where it was holding his coffee cup. Slowly, determinedly, he laced their fingers together.

“Oh.” Galo’s cheeks went pink. 

Lio huffed a laugh and took another sip of his drink.

Normal life was definitely something he liked.

—

_“Breathe with me, Lio.”_

_Lio was trying, he really was, but the air tasted stale and felt like drawing knives up and down the inside of his throat. He coughed raggedly, something burning in his eyes, and he clutched something tightly, too tightly. The form in front of him was blurry, not quite all there, but it was solid and speaking and Lio still couldn’t breathe._

_“Come on,” it was Ignis, Lio realized. “You can do it. Follow my lead.”_

_When Ignis inhaled, Lio did his utmost to follow. He stuttered and coughed and bit back a scream, terrified or- of what? Something had his throat in its grasp, a tight fist gripping his windpipe hard enough to hurt._

_“What-” Lio’s voice was barely even a croak as he started hyperventilating. “What’s happening to-”_

_“You inhaled too much smoke.” Ignis’ voice was calm, “And you’re panicking. I need you to breathe with me. Deep breaths.”_

_Oh. That made sense. Lio nodded a bit, as best he could, and forced himself to breathe. It was slow and painful progress, but it was progress all the same. After way, way too long, Lio’s lungs didn’t hurt as much, and he could breathe just a little better. It still hurt and it still felt like his lungs had been freeze dried and then put in a blender, but he could breathe._

_“Good. Keep breathing.” Ignis said, and Lio was helpless to obey._

_It hurt, of course it hurt, but Lio trusted Ignis more than he trusted himself in that moment, so he forced air into his chest and then forced it back out again. He did it over, and over, and over, and over, and over. His throat felt like it had been cut to ribbons, his lips felt dry, his heart was pounding in his ears, but he kept going._

_He’d regret it later, but he was terrified of what would happen if he stopped. He knew he might pass out, but right then all he really cared about was Galo. Galo, the World’s Number One Firefighting Idiot, who had charged into a burning and damn near collapsing building without his mech or any protection to save people. Lio trusted him, he knew Galo knew what he was doing, but watching someone you care about charge into raging flames was not something Lio ever wanted to see again._

_Ignis was talking to him, but Lio could only hear half of it. The rest of his focus was taken up with the roaring of the flames and the fact that Galo was_ still not back yet.

_His heart pounded harder, barraging his ears painfully until he felt his chest hurt and remembered that- oh yeah- he hadn’t been breathing. He gasped sharply on his next inhale and opened his eyes subconsciously wider, as if doing so would show him Galo behind the flames._

_The front of the building was starting to collapse._

_Lio felt his veins fill with eyes and his knees lock._

_Where was Galo?_

Where is he?!

_Lio wrenched his arm out of Ignis’ grasp and started to run-_

_Galo burst through the front door of the building, three people thrown over his shoulders, and he got out of the way just in time for the front wall to fall and crash down right where he’d been standing._

_Medics rushed forward and ushered the people on Galo’s shoulders toward the ambulance, getting them onto gurneys and checking them over. One of the medics gave Galo a once-over, a stern look, then said something that Lio couldn’t hear before turning and walking away. Galo gave them what seemed to be a guilty smile before turning to the rest of the people around._

_Ignis was on him first, berating him for not at least taking a mask. Galo apologized a million times, but Lio couldn’t hear any of it. He couldn’t hear_ anything, _he realized. Nothing but his heart rate in his ears. It was a painful cacophony. He was alive._

_He was **alive.**_

_Lio’s knees gave out when Galo turned to look at him. Instantly, concern filled Galo’s gaze and he rushed toward Lio, definitely saying something that Lio just couldn’t hear._

_Somehow, seized by a gripping terror, Lio bolted to his feet and ran at Galo. They crashed into each other and Lio felt them both fall. Galo steadied them with a yelp that Lio couldn’t really hear. Lio’s arms ensnared themselves around Galo’s waist and he buried his face in his sweaty chest, nails probably digging painfully into Galo’s back._

_And he heard Galo’s heartbeat, steady (but still a little rushed) in his chest._

_“I’m okay.” Lio heard Galo whisper into his hair, strong arms hugging him just as tight. “It’s okay, Lio, I’m okay.”_

_Before Lio could change his mind, he turned his head and kissed Galo’s chest, pressing trembling lips to the skin over his head. He tasted of soot and smoke and sweat. Lio never wanted to let him go again._

—

“Hey, babe?”

Lio hummed in acknowledgement as he took a sip from his drink.

Galo was looking thoughtfully at nothing in particular, gaze a little far away and eyebrows scrunched together cutely. Lio would definitely have taken a picture had he been a stronger man, but alas he was weak. No pictures of Galo’s adorable thinking face would find their ways into his phone today, it seemed.

“I was thinking…” Galo said, as if it weren’t already obvious. “What if I got a tattoo?”

For a moment, Lio just blinked at him. Then he swallowed his mouthful, put his cup back on the table, and said, “A tattoo?”

“Yeah. A sleeve.” Galo nodded, using their linked hands to gesture to his scarred arm, now covered with his protective sleeve. “People worry when they see the scars.”

“Don’t get a tattoo for anyone but yourself, Galo.” Lio sighed and squeezed his hand tight. 

Galo pursed his lips and thought for another long moment. Then a lightbulb seemed to go off in his head and he looked across the table at Lio, beaming. “What if I got a tattoo for you?”

“I. _What?”_ Lio said intelligently.

“Yeah!” Galo’s smile brightened a million fold (if that were even possible). “I could get one to commemorate us saving the world together!”

“Galo, you’ve only known me for, what, six months? Seven?” Lio spluttered.

“I know, but you’re important to me.” Galo squeezed their hands. “And even if we- well, if our relationship doesn’t work out- which I don’t want to happen, I really like this and you and us- but if it _doesn’t_ you’ll still be the person who changed my life and saved the world with me! That’s super important and epic and- I really do want our relationship to work-”

Lio reached across the table with one hand and gently put a finger over Galo’s lips. He could feel the soft smile on his own lips and he quietly said, “If you want one, get one. Just don’t get my face tattooed on your bicep.”

Galo blinked at him for a moment, a deer in headlights. Then his eyes lit up and he kissed the tip of Lio’s finger before saying, “I was thinking of getting your dragon? And a few other cool things! Like a bunch of stars and a night sky and maybe the outlines of a cityscape, y’know?”

As Galo kept talking, bouncing ideas off of Lio for his tattoo, Lio just sat and held his hand. He offered opinions where necessary, but he mostly just enjoyed Galo’s presence.

And, deep in his chest, he felt something warm grow, wedging itself into a space in his heart and bringing something sparking in his eyes. He squeezed Galo’s hand all the tighter for it, trying to convey an emotion he couldn’t put a word to through the touch. It was simple, rudimentary, and it was all Lio could do not to tear up at the burning in his chest. The burning was lovely, beautiful, everything he’d ever wanted and nothing like the promare had ever been.

_This is definitely Galo’s fault._ Lio mused to himself as Galo waved his arm around trying to help Lio visualize something.

_Burning firefighter’s soul indeed._

**Author's Note:**

> [twitter](https://www.twitter.com/RunawayBean_hq) || [tumblr](https://runawaybean.tumblr.com) || [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/RunawayBean)
> 
> Thanks for reading! Why not tell me what you think? And if you liked it, why not drop a kudos?
> 
> Thanks again and see ya next time uwu.  
> ~Nero/Cy


End file.
